Milk production and number of dairy cattle stock in the Southern Federal District

Aim. Assess the features of milk production and dairy cattle breeding in the southern regions of Russia in the face of new global external challenges. Materials and Methods. The main scientific method of research is the horizontal and vertical analysis of open statistical reporting posted on the open website of the Federal State Statistics Service, analytical materials of the Dairy Union of Russia. Mathematical extrapolation tools of the Excel program were used for calculations and making forecasts. To formulate the conclusions, the methods of logical analysis, comparison and generalization of the data presented in the calculation materials and press releases were applied. Results. An assessment was made of the dynamics of raw milk production by all categories of dairy farms in Russia over the past 10 years. It has been established that milk production volumes have increased due to intensive milking and animal husbandry technologies, which made it possible to achieve self-sufficiency in milk up to 80%. Modernization of the dairy complex with the most advanced robotic equipment has allowed farms not only to increase milk yield per cow, but also to significantly improve the quality of milking and the quality of the resulting product. Examples of best practice in terms of milk productivity in the conditions of the South of Russia were demonstrated by enterprises of the Krasnodar Territory and the Volgograd Region. An alarming factor is the reduction in the dairy population of animals. Nevertheless, milk production is intensive against the backdrop of a reduction in the number of dairy cattle, but this factor must be taken into account in the future and its impact should be neutralized through a positive trend in the growth of the number of livestock. Conclusion. On the basis of the study, conclusions were drawn about the need for further expansion of state support measures for the industry and the search for options for introducing Russian-selected animals into production in order to reduce import dependence on foreign genetic material and technologies. The emerging positive trend in the production of raw milk must be supported in the future not only by modernizing production, but also by strengthening the production and resource base.